An antitrust lawsuit brought by players in the Saudi-backed LIV against the PGA may end up revealing information on the Saudi wealth fund that the corrupt regime would rather keep secret. U.S. District Court Judge Beth Labson Freeman has ruled that the Saudis aren't shielded by sovereign immunity in this lawsuit, given their commercial, "hands on" management of LIV. The Associated Press reports:
"A judge, citing what she described as the kingdom’s hands-on management of LIV, found that when it came to the new golf league, Saudi officials and the Saudi government aren’t shielded from U.S. courts the way sovereign nations usually are.
While Saudi Arabia is fighting the decision, insisting U.S. courts have no jurisdiction over its high officials, the ruling means lawyers for the PGA Tour would be able to question top officials about business secrets that the Saudis have held close, such as details of deal-making involving 2024 presidential candidate Trump and others."
Their "business secrets" should reveal a host of influence buying and worse on the part of the corrupt Saudi regime, and likely their strings on the Malignant Loser. The article continues:
Yasir al Rumayyan, appointed under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to manage the oil-rich Saudi government’s $600 billion-plus stockpile of wealth, is 'up to his eyeballs' in managing the golf tour, Labson Freeman declared.
The finding follows PGA Tour claims that al Rumayyan himself recruited LIV players, approved LIV contracts and was otherwise the golf league’s decision-maker and manager. Lawyers for Saudi Arabia counter that Rumayyan’s actions were those of an eager investor, not of someone actually running a business.
The case matters beyond the world of golf. Saudi Arabia has been assertive in U.S. business investments and political relationships and could now face court demands for greater transparency and accountability." (our emphasis)
In 1976, Congress carved out an exception to sovereign immunity that involves commercial activities. LIV has three scheduled tournaments at the Malignant Loser's golf courses this year, in an obvious effort to curry more influence with someone they hope will be the next President. The Saudi officials running LIV make no secret about it, as they wear red MAGA caps at his golfing events. More from the AP report:
“'It seemed to me very clear that it wasn’t immune' from U.S. courts when it came to operating the LIV golf tour and tournaments, said Donald Baker, a lawyer and a former head in the Justice Department’s antitrust division who is not involved in the case.
Baker projected the case could lead to California’s Northern District federal court seeking depositions from Saudi royals." (our emphasis)
That will be something to see. With murderous Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin "Bone Saw" Salman as the head of the sovereign fund, a deposition from him under oath may temporarily cool his interest in meddling in U.S. sports and politics.
(photo: The Malignant Loser with Yasir al-Rumayyan. Getty Images)
